I'm Sioux Roslawski and this is my blog about writing, dogs, grown-up children, menopause, the joy of a marvelous book, classroom teaching in general, and specifically, the teaching of writing. You can email me at sroslawski(at)yahoo(dot)com.

The Pyrenees---Southern France

Thursday, December 11, 2014

A Fine Farewell

I have trouble--most of the time--with endings. When I'm writing short memoir pieces, I usually don't put enough oompf in at the end... Without the help of my critique partners, my presents would be sent off wrapped up, but no ribbons and bows to really make them alluring. So it was with sadness when I watched the last episode of the last season of Sons of Anarchy this week. Would the ending be satisfying? What's that you say? You've never watched it? You don't have any idea what it's about? Think The Sopranos on motorcycles. With better-looking guys. And better writing...

This is Charlie Hunnam, the star of Sons of Anarchy. Hunnam was originally chosen
for the starring male role in Fifty Shades of Grey but luckily bowed out before it was too late...

Kurt Sutter (the creator and head writer and minor character) is one crazy guy, and his wife Katey Sagal (as Gemma) is a universe away from her work on Married With Children. The characters were incredibly flawed, the things they grappled with--at their core--were things we all could relate to and the connections they had with each other were ones we all understood. The last moments finished up the series the only way it could be finished. Lots of brutal (but justified) acts. Lots of sacrifices. Lots of joy in uniting the past with the present. The good thing about my WIP which may end up being my FWIP--my forever work in progress--is I know exactly how it's going to end. Now, if I can only add 40,000 words to the 35,000 I currently have, so I can get to that ending. How about you? How are you with endings? What are some of your favorite movie or television series endings?

Hi Sioux! I actually never watched even on episode of SoA, but both of my daughters were addicted to it, so between the two of them I knew all the characters and the plot. My oldest daughter would call me the day after a new episode ran and spend an hour (not joking) retelling the story. So I missed the visuals (alas, because CH is a feast for the eyes) but got the whole story. So much so that I felt invested enough to watch the last hour of the finale. I had called it already---told both my girls there was only one way for it to end that would stay true to the character of Jax. He went out with a parade behind him (the only kind a man like him would ever earn), protecting all the people he loved the most. I thought it all to be rather poetic and tragic, and the choice of a quote from Hamlet at the end was nothing short of brilliant. Kudos to Kurt Sutter.

Oh, yeah -- your question on endings. Like Cathy, I usually have the end game already plotted out. Especially writing romance, because I'm a huge fan of the happy ending. The beginnings? Now those are a challenge. I always feel like I've started the story in the wrong place. My current WIP I finally had to let go of the beginning and just march forth. It wasn't coming together the way I wanted and I didn't want to waste more time on it. I'll finish the book and then fuss over the beginning.

Lisa--Hearing that, I would recommend "Breaking Bad" if you really want to delve into something that is also now over...assuming you have not seen the series. The writing is phenomenal, the cinematography is breathtaking, and the plot (arc after arc after arc) is mind-blowing.

Oh yeah I have trouble with endings. But more with beginnings. But worse with middles ... Oy. And Titles - fugeddaboudit.A couple shows I currently watch are ending next week and I'm really worried how they'll do it. Worst ever was MASH. Sure it was kinda true to character, and followed the political bent of the series, but horrible for us fans.

sidebar: The Waltons pilot, called The Homecoming, is one of my favorite ever, and a must watch every Christmas. The parents (John & Olivia) and the Grandpa are different actors than in the series (Patricia Neal is superb), but it's a wonderful 2 hour movie.

I love endings. It's like wrapping up the marvelous package that is my blog post with a silky satin bow.

My favorite TV show endings are: The Mary Tyler Moore Show (it's a long way to Tipperary), St. Elsewhere (Tommy and the snow globe), and the Newhart show (Bob wakes up with Emily, it was all a dream). Oh, and SEINFELD! (the trial and the prison cell).

Val--I loved MTM (didn't they have a group hug and they all had to shuffle together to get a tissue?). St. Elsewhere was one of my all-time favorites (Mark Harmon AND Denzel Washington...the scenery was gorgeous). I was not crazy about Seinfeld's finale although I DID enjoy seeing all the characters from the past. However, The Newhart Show's ending was one of the most brilliant. Ever.

I'm much better with fictional endings because I have the story in my head before I write it. Creative nonfiction endings, on the other hand, are usually painful. It seems to me I liked the final Office episode. I don't remember it being dramatic so much as satisfying. And that was fine.

I've never seen SoA, though my work peeps seem to love it. I tend to enjoy much lighter fare, and it's usually reruns of ancient series that I've already seen a million times. I Love Lucy, Andy Griffith, Mary Tyler Moore, Bob Newhart, Designing Women, Will & Grace, etc., etc. Oh, and I obviously like comedy. It's so much more pleasant to watch than the daily news.

That guy looks like one of the gamer bank robbers on an old episode of CSI Miami. I wonder if it was him?

At the end of one of my favorite movies, a Canadian film called "When Night Is Falling", there's a little terrier dog that dies early in the story, but at the very end he pops out from under the snow and goes tearing across a field, alive as can be. They don't explain it, and it doesn't matter. I loved it.